MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

10/13 AFL & Instructs update

Cubs prospect Starlin Castro went 3-for-5 with three RBIs Tuesday for the Mesa Solar Sox in a 10-6 win over Phoenix to kick off the Arizona Fall League. Castro was the only Cubs player to see any action Tuesday, and he was the designated hitter. He was expected to start Wednesday along with third baseman Josh Vitters, and pitchers John Gaub, Blake Parker and James Russell were scheduled to pitch when the Solar Sox play host to Phoenix at HoHoKam Park at 6:35 p.m. Arizona time.

* In Instructional League play in Scottsdale, Cubs Minor Leaguer Drew Rundle, who is being converted from outfielder to pitcher, appeared in his first game on the mound, and retired the side in order. Rundle was the Cubs’ 14th round pick in 2006.

Thomas Diamond, whom the Cubs claimed off waivers from Texas on Sept. 4, started the game against the Giants’ team. The squad had a pretty impressive looking outfield in Brandon Guyer, June 2009 No. 1 Draft pick Brett Jackson and Kyler Burke, the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year.

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I got to the game late, and didn’t get Diamond’s numbers, but I know the Cubs staff was very encouraged by his outing. He’s going to make one more start for Instructional League team Saturday, then head to Mexicali and pitch in Mexican league to build up arm strength. He hopes to be starting again in 2010.

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